What is otolaryngology?

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Otolaryngology is the oldest medical specialty in the U.S. It focuses on medical and surgical treatment for people who have disorders of the ear, nose, throat, and related areas.

• Ear problems include:

  • Hearing problems

  • Ear infections

  • Balance disorders

  • Ringing or other sounds in the ear (tinnitus)

  • Some cranial nerve disorders, such as facial paralysis

• Nose problems include:

  • Allergies

  • Problems with smelling

  • How the nose looks

  • Sinus infections

• Throat problems include:

  • Voice box (larynx) diseases

  • Upper digestive tract disorders

  • Esophagus disorders

  • Voice disorders

  • Swallowing disorders

• Problems of related head and neck structures include:

  • Nerves that control sight, smell, hearing, and the face

  • Infectious diseases

  • Noncancer (benign) and cancer (malignant) tumors

  • Facial injury

  • Facial deformities

  • Cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery

  • Sleep disorders

Doctors who specialize in this are called otolaryngologists. They are also called ENT (ear, nose, and throat) specialists.

These doctors may also specialize in any of the following:

• Children's disorders

• Hearing, balance, facial nerve, and skull base disorders

• Allergy

• Facial cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery

• Head and neck diseases

• Throat

• Nose

• Sleep medicine